Lost in all the fuss over Shermaggedon is that Russell Wilson, still a sophomore, has some enormous balls. While Colin Kaepernick fell apart in the fourth, Wilson stepped up, avoiding turnovers and tossing what would be the game-winner, a 35-yard strike to Jermaine Kearse. But it almost didn't happen, and Seattle can thank its kicker for knowing his limits.

"I didn't really want to kick it, to tell you the truth," Hauschka told Newsday after the game. "It was into the wind . . . I didn't think it was the right decision and I let coach Carroll know that."

Hauschka said he'd never before passed up an opportunity to attempt a field goal.

"You have to be honest with yourself," he said. "It was the wind at that moment. Sometimes you can make that, but I felt the wind at that moment was into the face enough to not want to try that kick. I grabbed him on the sideline as I ran out because I could see the flags [on top of the uprights] and I told him: 'We shouldn't kick this.'"

Heh, "we."

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Whether it was due to Hauschka's reticence, we'll never know, but Pete Carroll called a timeout. Upon reconsidering, he sent the offense back out to try and pick up the first down. You know what happened next:

We'll of course never know what would have happened had Hauschka attempted the kick, or how the game would have gone from there. But there's a lesson in here, probably. Always give 110 percent. Always believe in yourself. Fifty-three yards into the wind?F that. And that's how you make the Super Bowl.